328

CASTLES AND ABBEYS OF ENGLAND.

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shore of the Southampton Water. The path then lies along the edge of the■water, skirted on the left by wooded eminences. After proceeding a shortdistance, we arrive at ©EUston ddcacf), whence, by a little lane to the left, wereach the beautiful hamlet of Weston, thickly embedded in trees. A modernpoetess, AI iss Mitford, has celebrated the charms of this rural spot:—

“ Ilills which the purple heath-bell shield,

Forest and village, lawn and field,

Ocean and earth, with all they yieldOf glorious or of fair.”

On the beach, a post directs us to the village inn, which is frequented byfishermen, who form the greater part of the population of the hamlet. Theirboats are frequently seen in considerable numbers at anchor by the shore.

Pursuing our path along the beach, after a short walk, we arrive at a lanewhich conducts us to the entrance of Netley Abbey. Below, on the water’sedge, lies Netley Castle. The road which we have now entered, passing infront of the abbey, leads by Netley grange towards Netley hamlet, and theheaths of Netley and Bursledon. A little farther lie in succession the pic-turesque villages of Hound, Bursledon, and Ilamble, the two latter situatedon another creek of the sea, larger than the Itchen water. Leland the anti-quary, who visited these parts immediately after the dissolution of the monas-teries, appears to have passed along the shore in a boat from Portsmouth toSouthampton. He gives the following account of the coast between Hambleand Itchen creek: “ Scant a [2] miles from the mouth of Ilamelrise creckelyithe Letelege, on the shore upward in the mayne haven. Here a late wasa great abbay in building of White monkes. About a 2 miles upward brekithin a great erceke out of the mayne haven, and goith into the land by nortlie.On the lift hand of this crecke by west a litle from the shore stondith achapclle of our Lady of Grace, sumtime hauntid with pilgrimes. Bight agayneit is Hichyn, a smaulle village on the est side, and hereof the trajeetus iscaullid Ilichin-fery.” The manner in which Leland speaks of Letley, orNetley, gives strength to the supposition that considerable alterations weremaking in the buildings of the abbey at the time of its dissolution, andaccounts probably for some of the traces of modern architecture which arefound in it.

There were several monastic houses situated within a short distance roundNetley Abbey. To the south-east, at a distance of about six miles, stood theAbbey of Titohfield. Immediately after the dissolution, the site was grantedto Sir Thomas Wriothesley , afterwards created Earl of Southampton, whoerected on the same spot a splendid mansion, which Leland describes as “ aright stately house, embatoled and having a goodely gate, and a conducte